Notre Dame Ranked No. 2 In Post-Spring Top 25
With spring in the rearview mirror it is time for a re-look at Notre Dame and the rest of college football, and that is what On3 college football writer Andy Staples has done. Even though there are several transfer decisions to be made, Staples decided to release a new post-spring Top 25 ranking, and it’s clear he thinks highly of the Fighting Irish.
Staples ranked Notre Dame as the No. 2 team in the latest preseason Top 25 rankings.
Staples – a former walk-on offensive lineman at Florida – thinks very highly of the Notre Dame offensive line. If he is correct about the Irish have a great offensive line, which he seems to infer in this analysis, the offense will in fact be outstanding in 2025. Staples also rightly points to the need of the defense to not take a step back in the post-Al Golden era.
Staples and I also agree on the ultimate winner of the quarterback battle, but his point about the downfield passing game getting opened up will likely be true whether its CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey at quarterback. Both players have the kind of arm talent to attack the vertical game far more effectively than we’ve seen in recent seasons.
Last season, Notre Dame played three teams that Staples has in his Top 10, with the Irish beating Penn State (#4) and Georgia (#8) while losing to Ohio State (#5).
The only Notre Dame opponent in the Top 25 for Staples is Miami, who he ranks as the No. 20 team in the nation. Notre Dame kicks off the 2025 season with a road trip to Miami on August 31st. Here is what Staples said about the Hurricanes.
“The most telling fact about Notre Dame’s offseason? Two offensive linemen who started in the national title game immediately hit the transfer portal after the season because they probably wouldn’t have starting jobs in 2025. A great offensive line is the most recession-proof factor in football. Can Notre Dame’s defense maintain the level at which it played last year? That’s the question. But injuries last season forced younger players like cornerback Leonard Moore to show us that the Fighting Irish have future stars ready to emerge. We think C.J. Carr wins the quarterback job, and a bigger arm than the Irish have had in years could unlock a downfield passing game that should complement a punishing run game.” – Andy Staples, On3
